In locating and equipping a manufacturing plant the following-named factors are of importance:

(1) The cost of obtaining raw materials at their source of supply, their quality and the available quantity.

(2) Cost of transporting raw materials to the plant and finished products to market.

(3) Cost of fuel for manufacturing.

(4) Cost and available supply of labor needed.

(5) All buildings should be well lighted, dry and comfortable and convenient for workmen.

(6) The power house (boilers, engines, and electric generators) should be located convenient for receiving fuel and for distributing power to the shops needing it.

(7) The buildings should be so located with reference to one another as to afford a short and ready means of transferring work from one shop to another in regular course of construction.

(8) Appliances for lifting and carrying heavy work readily in the shops should be installed, and the machines in each shop should be placed to reduce necessary handling of heavy work to a minimum.

From the receiving of raw materials at a plant until they leave as finished products, they are handled many times. It saves time, labor, and cost to reduce this handling to a minimum, and careful study should be made with the view of eliminating all unnecessary handling. Much unnecessary handling and many needless movements of workmen are many times overlooked because they are a part of custom or habit. These points are given careful attention in progressive shops.

Fig. 270. - Specimen Operation of Automatic Screw Machine.